Food Assistance (also known as SNAP)

Depending on your situation, you may qualify for Food Assistance which could provide you with more long-term food support in the form of a monthly dollar amount which can be used at qualifying food locations.

Students may qualify for Food Assistance if they are a US Citizen or Green card holder for at least five (5) years and fulfill one or more of the following:

• Have dependents
• Work at least 20 hours a week
• Qualify for or currently working in a federal work-study position
• Are disabled or temporarily disable and are unable to work

If you feel like one or more of those may apply to you and you wish to learn more, please email studorg-foodpantry@uiowa.edu, and we can connect you with Lisa Spitler, our local Food Assistance Outreach Specialist. Applying does not cost you anything, and it usually only takes a few minutes of your time.

How to apply for food assistance:

The SNAP Hotline can help you determine whether you qualify for SNAP, and help with your application for SNAP benefits. You can access the hotline by phone at 1-855-944-FOOD (3663) or at FoodAssistanceOutreach@iowafba.org. You can also apply for SNAP and other helpful programs on the Iowa Department of Human Services website.

Other basic needs resources

If you cannot find what you need from searching this page, you can email dos-assistance@uiowa.ed to speak to someone in Student Care and Assistance at the University to get directed to the most appropriate resources you need. You can also check out our food resource page Additional Food Resources for services around the University of Iowa and in the Iowa City community.